Gruner
Gruner was a member of Pandora and acted as a valet of the Barma Dukedom. On his last assignment, Gruner was stationed in the village of Toll to investigate Rufus Barma's theories about one of the Sealing Stones being located in the Carillon region. While Gruner's two colleagues ventured to seek out the Sealing Stone, Gruner did not, instead deciding to remain in Toll. When Gruner's colleagues failed to return, Rufus requested that Gruner lead Oz and a small group of fellow Pandora members to the location of the Sealing Stone so that they can obtain it for Pandora. Though the group was successful in their mission, when Oz needed to return to Toll to contact Pandora to receive some aid for moving the Seal, Gruner volunteered to stay behind and guard the Seal with its own guardians. Little did he know that The Head Hunter, Vincent Nightray, had been lying in wait, moving in with his Chain, Demios the Executioner, to kill Gruner when he and the Seal's guardians were alone so that he could destroy the Sealing Stone. Plot Gruner's overall past history is unknown, although he was a subordinate of Rufus Barma and was stationed in the village of Toll at the time when Rufus located a Sealing Stone. Anything beyond this is unknown. Rufus originally sent two of his other subordinates to retrieve the Sealing Stone that was somewhere within Carillon. The two Pandora members never came back from Carillon and Pandora had never received a reply as to whether or not they'd found the Sealing Stone, so Gruner assumed the worst had happened. Rufus tried again, filling in Oz and his friends on the situation with the Sealing Stones in return for them going and retrieving the one in Carillon. He sent them to Toll, where Alice was distracted by something. Gilbert Nightray and Sharon Rainsworth met up with Gruner, Alice and Oz soon drew away from the distraction and proceeded to allow Gruner to lead them to Carillon, Gruner acting as their guide. Gruner brings the group through one of Carillon's forests to a mansion located in a secluded area, also explaining how Rufus sent two other Pandora members after the Sealing Stone already. The door to the mansion opened by itself and Alice ran into the mansion, seeing it as a challenge, the group following close behind her. The door slams behind them and the group questions whether or not they were welcome in the mansion. Gruner and Gilbert kick open a door to find a vast room shrouded by shadows. A young woman named Marie shows herself, she asks if the five of them were friends of the last two Pandora Members who arrived a few days beforehand. Gruner says that they were and asks where they were. Marie explains that she had just 'returned them to the forest' and deduces that the group must be the 'wolf' chasing after the two 'birds'. Marie, draws a hacksaw and asks the group how to cook a wolf before she viciously attacks them. When Marie goes to attack Sharon, Sharon tries to summon Equus to defend her, however she finds that Equus won't listen to her and so she stands shocked as Marie draws near. Gruner steps in front of Sharon and takes Marie's hacksaw through his shoulder in order to defend Sharon. Marie explains that no matter how many times Sharon calls Equus, he wouldn't come. The Pandora members were just like Sharon, selfishly believing that their Chains' power was their own, until the Chains didn't come, then they began trembling like a leaf. Soon Oz is bothered by a ringing in his ears and uses B-Rabbit's power to turn Marie's hacksaw to dust before deciding that killing her would stop the ringing. Oz goes to decapitate Marie with his scythe, but he is stopped by Alice mere seconds before Marie's potential death. Marie's master, Rytas then showed himself, apologizing for Marie's behavior and telling the group that the Sealing Stone was in the basement. After seeing the Sealing Stone with their own eyes, Gruner suggests that Gilbert goes back to Toll to contact Rufus to make arrangements for the extraction of the Sealing Stone, also suggesting that he take Oz, Alice and Sharon with him because they didn't appear to be in the best shape. Gruner volunteered to stay behind and protect the Sealing Stone should anything happen. Marie asks if such a thing was all right, and Gruner simply states that he was just carrying out his duty. After Rytas, Marie and Gruner see Oz, Gil, Alice and Sharon off, they return inside Rytas' mansion. Marie closes the door and turns to find that he master has been decapitated. While Marie breaks down with hysteria, clutching her master's head and screaming, Gruner tries to establish what was going on, the an ominous shadow looms over Gruner and Marie. Upon seeing the assailant, Gruner knows who it was, stating that she was the Head Hunter. Seconds later, Gruner is decapitated alongside Marie, leaving The Head Hunter free to destroy the Sealing Stone. Description Appearance Gruner was a rather young man, appearing to be around Gilbert's age, with shoulder-length blonde hair slicked back, revealing his slight widow's peak, and thick eyebrows. He wore a heavy black coat, tied at the waist with a black belt, black pants and shoes as well as white gloves and an ascot of an unknown color. Personality Gruner was a loyal, polite person, volunteering himself to undertake tasks would could put his own life in danger for the betterment of others. Gruner displays this selfless behavior when he protects Sharon from Marie's hacksaw by taking the attack upon himself, and when he volunteers himself to guard the Sealing Stone with Marie and Rytas while Gilbert took Oz, Alice and Sharon back to Toll after their strenuous encounter. Powers and Abilities Although Gruner had a gun, being a member of Pandora, he was never shown to use it, leaving it unknown his skills as a marksmen. It was also never revealed as to whether or not Gruner had a Chain of any kind, because of the Sealing Stone's power and the fact that it had never been brought up in his short introduction before entering the mansion. Quotes ;To Marie *"Yes. Do you know where they are?" *"I'm only carrying out my duty." ;To Sharon Rainsworth *"They were both Pandora contractors, we received no message from them, so we can only assume the worst." *"Sharon-sama!" (Gruner defends Sharon) ;To Gilbert Nightray *"Gilbert-sama, you should head back to the village and contact Duke Barma, they don't appear to be in good shape anyway, I shall remain here just in case..." Appearances Trivia *Gruner's name is the German word for 'Green One'. *Despite his role in Retrace XLIV: Dusty Sky, Gruner did not get featured in Pandora Hearts 18.5: Evidence like almost every other character since Pandora Hearts 8.5: Mine of Mine did. Others lacking a profile include Orphan I, Orphan II, James, John, Helen and Hans. Navigation Category:Barma Family Category:Deceased Category:Characters Category:Victims of the Head Hunter Category:Male Category:Servants Category:Human Category:Pandora members Category:Manga Only